The Marlins Are Bringing Baseball's Triple Back to Life

Xavier Edwards holds up at first on an RBI single in the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Marlins Are Bringing Baseball's Triple Back to Life

Originally posted on Miami Marlins on SI
By Wesley Dixon | Last updated Jul 25, 2026 7:00 PM ET

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The Miami Marlins have found an offensive identity in a play that has nearly disappeared from modern baseball. Miami entered Friday tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the Major League lead with 24 triples. It is an unusual strength for a club that does not rely on home run power. Instead, the Marlins have used contact, speed and aggressive baserunning to turn balls in the gaps into three bases.

Miami’s success stands out because triples have steadily disappeared across Major League Baseball. Teams combined for only 628 triples in 2025, down from 697 in 2024 and 873 in 2016, a 28% decline over nine years. Deeper outfield positioning, improved defensive athleticism and a greater emphasis on launch angle have reduced the number of balls that reach the gaps or roll to the wall. That makes the Marlins’ ability to consistently create three-base hits less about luck and more about having a unique skill that few teams possess.

That style fits the roster. Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez have recorded six triples apiece, tying them for fourth among Major League hitters. Together, they account for half of Miami’s total.

Edwards has produced a .290/.372/.404 slash line with 14 stolen bases, while Lopez has hit .332/.367/.499 with 18 steals. Neither player needs to hit the ball over the wall to have an impact on the game. Their ability to make contact and accelerate immediately out of the batter’s box places pressure on outfielders to take clean routes and complete accurate throws to prevent them from turning singles into doubles and doubles into triples.

LoanDepot Park Rewards Aggressive Runners

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The home environment has also played a role.

LoanDepot Park measures 345 feet down the left-field line, 400 feet to center and 335 feet to right. The venue has generally favored pitchers, but its deeper center field and spacious gaps create additional ground for outfielders to cover.

A smaller ballpark may turn hard contact into a home run, while a more compact outfield can make deep fly balls easier to track down. In Miami, some of those drives stay inside the fence while traveling far enough into the gaps to force outfielders to cover more ground. That extra distance gives faster runners enough time to reach second and consider taking the risk for third.

Statcast’s park factors support that effect. loanDepot park has a 133 triples factor in 2026, meaning triples have occurred there at a rate 33% above the Major League average. Its home run factor is only 86, showing how the same dimensions that suppress some power can create opportunities for runners once the ball reaches open space.

A triple still requires more than a large outfield. The batter must drive the ball into the right area, possess enough speed to take the extra base and accept the risk of being thrown out. The Marlins have repeatedly combined all three. Their lineup may not carry the intimidation of baseball’s most powerful groups, but it has found another way to create extra-base damage.

Miami has turned baseball’s rarest hit into an identity built on speed, pressure and aggression, helping make the Marlins one of the sport’s most exciting young teams.

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